THIRD TIME LUCKY IN LOVE
by Romantic Twist
Summary: A space time warp leads the Enterprise to the Land of the Giants, where the Prime Directive becomes a serious issue for the Spindrift crew and passengers.


Spoiler Warnings: Land of the Giants: "The Crash", "The Clones", "Genius at Work", "Deadly Lodestone"; Star Trek: "The Corbomite Manoeuvre", "Shore Leave"; Star Trek the Animated Series: "The Infinite Vulcan".

_1985, in the Land of the Giants…_

For two years, the crew of the sub-orbital space ship the Spindrift (Steve Burton, Dan Ericson & Betty Hamilton) along with their passengers (Mark Wilson, Valerie Scott, Alexander Fitzhugh, Barry Lockeridge and his dog Chipper) had been unable to repair their space ship and escape from the Land of the Giants. A space warp had pulled them into it, leading them from earth's dimension to another planet, where everyone and everything were giant sized.

Now the team of survivors lived from day to day, fighting for survival and seclusion with nothing but their space ship's base camp in the forest as their home. They were unable to move it, without losing the ship, and their leader, the ship's captain Steve Burton knew only too well, that should the ship ever be found, they would lose all hope of returning to earth.

On this particular day, all seven humans and the dog were at the ship, using some materials that they had recently acquired to assist Mark Wilson in making the latest in a series of attempts to repair the ship. Suddenly they heard a loud beeping sound approaching.

"It sounds like Kobick's Enella metal detector!" said Dan.

"And it's leading a giant right here," said Steve, "Come on, Dan. We'd better take a look."

"But how can it be tracking us?" said Dan, "We got rid of all of that metal, even the bit in my leg."

"Who knows?" said Steve, "But if we get to the giant before it gets to the ship, we might be able to lead the giant away. At least the others would have a chance."

"Not without a pilot, as you once said," said Fitzhugh, "Let me go with you, Steve."

Steve had no time to wonder whether Fitzhugh was showing uncharacteristic bravery or merely trying to avoid being caught when the ship might yet be discovered. Nevertheless, the idea made sense.

"Alright, we'll check out the giant. The rest of you hide," said Steve, "Come on, Fitz."

Steve Burton and Alexander Fitzhugh ran out toward the sound of the approaching giant beeps, while being careful to use as much plant cover as possible.

As they moved further away from the ship, the beeps grew louder and louder, and then they saw the giant. It was a beautiful woman with medium to long dark hair and a sweet look in her eyes. She was carrying a device which looked the same size as the Enella metal detectors once used by the Special Investigation Department, yet different in its appearance.

"She's still heading straight for the Spindrift," said Fitzhugh, "She must be an S.I.D. agent."

"I wonder if they've invented a new detector, one specifically designed to find the ship," said Steve, "I didn't have time to ask Mark, but it's got me thinking whether our ship's parts contain any other metals which are unique to earth. One thing's for sure. She'll head straight for it unless we divert her. Let's split up. Make sure you're well hidden before you make any noise to draw attention to yourself."

Steve and Fitzhugh ran in opposite directions. At this point, an imaginary plus sign could have been drawn, with Fitzhugh and Steve on either of the horizontal points, and the ship and the giant on the vertical points.

"Hey, giantess!" called Steve, and looked up as the woman turned to react to the sound of his voice.

"No! Over here!" called Fitzhugh.

"You don't need to hide," said the woman, "I've come to help."

"With an S.I.D. metal detector. We've heard of your kind of help before!" yelled Steve.

"I'm not from the S.I.D. They don't know of my existence," said the woman, "You're too well hidden from me for the moment, but you don't need to be, and I will find your ship. Then I'll prove I'm only here to help you."

With that the giantess resumed following the beeps of her detector towards the Spindrift. Steve and Fitzhugh both decided to follow her secretly back to the ship from a distance, since they were now certain that their attempts to lead her away would be futile.

The giantess strode through the forest and reached the Spindrift base camp. She knelt down, sat on the ground and examined the ship. The others had all concealed themselves in the bushes.

"That's torn it," said Mark, "What we've always feared and avoided in the past has come to pass just like that."

"Can you hear me?" called the giantess, "I could not only get this flying again, which I assume you need, since you're still trapped on this planet, but I could also make a number of improvements."

"How?" called Mark.

"Are you crazy?" whispered Valerie, "Don't let her know we're here."

Mark was taking the same chance that he took on trusting the giant Franzen. At this point he could see little to be lost anyway. Maybe they'd be better off believing the giantess, even if she was lying, than continuing their daily struggle without even retaining the ship and the slender hope of getting it flying again.

"I'm far more scientifically advanced than anyone else on this planet," said the giantess, "And I could equip your ship with far greater space flight capacity, and highly advanced weapons too. You'd never need to fear the other giants again."

Mark resisted Valerie's attempts to hold him back and stepped into view. Valerie felt a second threatening emotion. The giantess was very pretty. Would Mark have any other reason for revealing his presence?

Mark, as it turned out, was still romantically devoted to Valerie, since before their recent courtship in fact. His interest in the giantess was purely scientific.

_23rd Century, aboard the star ship Enterprise._

"Captain's Log, supplemental," said Captain James Kirk, narrating a futuristic form of diary material into a recording device controlled by the ship's computer, "We have just rendezvoused with an old acquaintance, in order to take former crewman Bailey back into Star Fleet service aboard this vessel. Bailey left us on a lengthy scientific exchange program, so that an alien we encountered could study him in return for teaching him the skills he needed to return to us as a better crewman. A number of the bridge crew, particularly myself and science office Spock, are very keen to begin debriefing Mr Bailey, as soon as we have the chance. To say that our scientific curiosity has reached its peak would be an understatement."

Kirk suddenly heard the buzzer at the door of his quarters. He went over and opened it. Ensign Bailey was standing in the corridor.

"Mr Bailey, I trust that Mr Spock and Mr Kyle have brought you aboard and resettled you in your old quarters with no discomfort."

"To be honest, Captain, I feel more discomforted than I seem to be able to explain. Not only Mr Spock and Mr Kyle, but everyone on board this ship seems to be unable to tell me what has happened to Lieutenant Barrows. Nobody even remembers that she exists, not even Dr McCoy, who seemed to like her as much as I did. I loved her, Captain, and still do."

"I can't say I ever recall a crewman of that name serving in Star Fleet at all," said Kirk, "Yet after all that's happened in space, after all the strange things we've seen out here, I suppose I can't ignore what you claim. Would you be happy for Mr Spock to mind meld with you, enough to find out if anything you experienced in your time away could be causing you to experience false memories?"

"I guess I'd welcome that, if it would make a believer of you, Sir," said Bailey.

Soon the young ensign met with Kirk, Spock and McCoy in the doctor's private office at Sick Bay.

"My mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts," said Spock, bending his fingers in a curious and somewhat odd looking manner and touching Bailey's forehead with his fingertips.

For the next few minutes, Kirk and McCoy looked on in silence, and then Spock removed his hand and spoke at last.

"I believe the ensign is sincere in his recollections, all of which are of encounters with a dark haired woman wearing a red shirt Star Fleet uniform aboard this ship," said Spock.

"Then why don't the rest of us remember?" asked Kirk.

"And why don't _you_ remember, Doc?" asked Bailey, "You were paying her as much attention as I was. If she hadn't seemed to prefer me, I'd have been jealous."

"I simply can't recall her ever having existed," said McCoy.

"Well we have to know," said Kirk.

"The logical course of action would be to consult the ship's computer," said Spock, "Dr, I suggest you do the same thing with your medical logs."

"Computer, detail any information concerning a service record of crewman Lieutenant Barrows," said Kirk.

"Barrows, Lieutenant, addressed by Christian name Tonia," said the computer, "First assignment Star Ship Enterprise during crew changeover concurrent with James Kirk replacing Christopher Pike. Service time aboard Enterprise: four years."

"Four years, fascinating," said Spock.

"Known romantic affiliations," said Kirk, "Override the confidentiality of any material you have recorded in the personal logs of Dr Leonard McCoy, Lieutenant Barrows and Ensign Bailey."

"Brief romantic involvement with Ensign Bailey prior to Bailey's entering exchange program with alien being," said the computer, "Subsequent involvement with Dr McCoy on Shore Leave planet. Lieutenant Barrows logs mention rebound interest in Doctor's kindness after losing Bailey's regular presence aboard Enterprise."

"Give details of last contact with alien life by this crew before Lieutenant Barrows' disappearance," said Kirk.

"Last contact was with alien Coniculus Five," said the computer.

"As I recall, Captain, Coniculus Five was the fourth giant clone of the original Coniculus, a great scientist who made youthful giant clones of himself in succession, as a way of extending his mind's lifespan in order to carry on his work. You pointed out to him that he had to 'murder' the original in order to transfer his mind into the clone," said Spock.

"Yes, Mr Spock, I remember," said Kirk, "The only exception was that Spock Two being an exact clone of you was able to use the Vulcan Mind meld with you to create a total duplication of all thoughts and memories and other facets of the mind in you, so that you, the original Spock, weren't lost. I don't know what that could have to do with Barrows disappearance, or how we all forgot her, but the coincidence is too much to ignore."

"Your logic is infallible Captain, particularly when you consider that the only crewman aboard who currently remembers Lieutenant Barrows is Ensign Bailey, who was away from the Enterprise during our encounter with Coniculus Five and Spock Two."

"Then we must return to Coniculus Five's planet and investigate," said Kirk.

"But Jim, how can we deal with a giant who once tried to take Spock from us by force?" asked Dr McCoy.

"We don't. We deal with the giant Spock," said Kirk, "You specifically, Bones. You once said that you had a hypo powerful enough to knock out a lot of Vulcans. Would it do the same for one giant Vulcan, long enough for our Spock to read his mind without opposition?"

"It should work," said McCoy, "Although I'll need a larger hypo to administer it."

"Spock, get down to engineering and begin constructing it with Scotty's help," said Kirk, "Bones, mix up the tranquiliser. Bailey, you're on the bridge with me."

"Aye Captain, thank you Sir," said Bailey, recalling the days when Kirk had been a hard task master, reigned in only by Dr McCoy. It seemed that James Kirk has also learned enough to become "a better crewman."

_1985, Land of the Giants…_

"Look, I'll go and leave you, if you want," said the giantess, "But you need me, and I really do care."

She stood up and made as if to walk away.

"I'd like your help!" called Mark, "Although I have nothing to offer in return."

"This planet has already given me everything I could have wished for," said the giantess, "All I need now is the satisfaction of helping some new friends in need."

"Steve, can we take a chance for once?" called Mark.

"I guess we've nothing to lose," said Steve, stepping into view.

He had come to realise, over the years, that one could predict a lot about a person's behaviour by the expression in their eyes. Betty, for example, had a sweetness. Valerie was more devious and manipulative. The giantess was highly intelligent, but not conceited. Her eyes conveyed a sincerity.

"You can all come out, if you want to take the same chance," said Steve.

Slowly the others stepped into view and introduced themselves to the giantess.

"I could take your ship to my home and work on it there with the help of your Mark," said the giantess, "The SID would never find you there, and the forest animals would not be a threat any longer either."

"We're very grateful," said Steve.

Betty too began to wonder if she was losing an opportunity, but Steve's interest in the giantess was purely one of taking the best opportunity to protect his team and get them safely off the giant world.

"I guess we all just climb aboard and ride the giant express," said Dan, and led the way into the ship, "Could you collect our lean-to as well?"

"My pleasure," said the giantess, and waited until everyone was aboard the Spindrift.

Then she picked up the ship and the lean-to, rested the lean-to on top of the ship and carried it away to the edge of the forest. She waited for nightfall, before smuggling the ship into the suburb on the outskirts of the city, and into her large mansion.

In the weeks ahead, the giantess and Mark created what was an almost completely new Spindrift. It could now fly much further than ever before, at much greater speeds and fire an array of weapons that would make the giant government's concerns about little people technology every bit as important as they had once believed them to be.

_23rd Century, Coniculus Five's planet…_

Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Bailey beamed down onto the planet and snuck into the home of the giant Vulcan clone Spock Two. All four of them took Spock Two by surprise and stunned him with their phasers. After the giant Vulcan had collapsed on the floor, McCoy and Spock used the giant hypodermic to tranquilise him for a longer period than their relatively tiny phaser stuns would allow.

Spock reached into the mind of his sleeping giant counterpart, searching for any information about the missing Lieutenant Barrows.

"It is all here," said Spock to Kirk and the others, "My counterpart has all of my memories up unto the point of our earlier departure from this planet, when the two of us began to lead separate lives. His memories of Lieutenant Barrows are intact. Barrows came to him without authorization, beaming down shortly before we left this planet. She told him that she wanted to secretly leave the Enterprise and undergo the cloning process and continue to live on this planet and learn as much of Coniculus's advanced scientific knowledge as she could. Spock Two, being so much larger than me, was able to reach out with his mind and hypnotize everyone on board the orbiting Enterprise, commanding them to forget the existence of Barrows. The only exceptions were the absent Ensign Bailey and the Enterprise computer."

"Then where is she?" asked Bailey impatiently.

"While working as scientific apprentices for Coniculus, Spock Two and Barrows Two designed a machine that opened a giant sized space time warp at ground level. They stepped through and discovered a world of giants somewhere in the past, with a culture and technology compatible to mid 20th Century earth. Barrows Two chose to stay there. Spock Two returned here," said Spock.

"Have you absorbed his knowledge of the space time warp device's location and the ability to operated it?" asked Kirk.

"Yes Captain, and one more item of knowledge that would prove to our advantage," said Spock, "Spock Two will not assist us in forcibly persuading Barrows to return to this time and place, but nor will he oppose us. He believes that Barrows Two has enough scientific knowledge, as well as her new giant size, to be able to enforce her own choices."

"Then we have to try," said Kirk, "Do you believe we could operate the controls?"

"Negative, Captain," said Spock, "I now have the knowledge, but not the physical size and strength to be able to activate them. Logic suggests waking Spock Two, explaining our presence and seeking his help."

"It's not just us," said Kirk, "To be effective on a world of giants, even a primitive one from the past, we'll need to take the Enterprise, and to do that, we'll actually have to do something the ship has never done in its five years under my command, nor under Pike's. We'll have to land it on this planet until the machine has opened the space time warp."

"I believe I can assist you, Captain," said Spock.

Only, in this case, it was the awakening Spock Two.

"I thought you said he'd be knocked out for ages, Bones," said Kirk.

"He should be," said McCoy.

"Actually, Spock One's mind meld stimulated my thoughts back to consciousness," said Spock Two, "I will operate the machine, and leave the warp open until you have returned from your mission into the past. I will not, as Spock One has already surmised, accompany you."

_1985, Land of the Giants…_

"So how does that device track the metal in our ship?" asked Mark.

"It's an even more advanced version of something that exists in the 23rd Century," said the giantess, Tonia Barrows, "I'm from the future, or at least, I'm cloned from an Tonia Barrows who will be born in your future. In my time, it is called a Tricorder. Your ship is now equipped with futuristic phasers, photon torpedoes and warp drive capability, as well as having deflector shields and a greater hull integrity. It even has a small transporter unit. If the ship had been larger, I could have fitted it with one large enough to transport several people at once, like the one on the ship where my original once served. Yours will only transport one person at a time. If you wanted, I could even perform the cloning operations on you all and you could stay here instead."

"I don't think we should," said Steve, "We had to put a stop to some native giant scientists performing cloning experiments on us a while back, and we also had the opportunity to be enlarged and live here forever. Fitzhugh tried it for a while, but decided he preferred problem giants to giant problems. No offence to you of course. If you hadn't made such a success of it, you wouldn't be able to help us now. But earth is still our home."

"It was Barrows One's home too once," said Barrows, "Well your ship will do all you need it to and more now. You can take off whenever you like."

"We might have to discuss that first," said James Kirk.

"Captain Kirk!" said Barrows, "I take it Spock Two had a change of heart."

The giantess Barrows turned to see that James Kirk had beamed into her house with an away team, which included Spock, McCoy and Ensign Bailey, as well as several armed security officers.

"More like a change of mind," said Kirk, "Namely an exchange of thoughts with our own Spock. Do you realise what you've done. You've tampered with both history and with the developments that occurred on a planet that warrants prime directive protection."

"One of the reasons my original left Star Fleet for this new life, Captain," said Barrows, "is that I realised that I didn't approve of the Prime Directive, let alone agree with it. It's an obvious new age metaphor which precludes well justified interference. Should we have allowed a planet's leaders to continue having people fight to the death for their own amusement on television, all for the sake of a non-interference directive? Think of Christians. Your directive would program them to be less willing to send missionaries out into other cultures to share the message of salvation from sin through acceptance of Jesus Christ, leading to eternal life. The crew of this very ship Spindrift, whom I've just aided, would have been left to be hunted, tortured, imprisoned and their whole lives wasted on this giant planet, if I hadn't gone looking for them and interfered as you call it. Besides, it's done now."

"Yes it is," said Kirk, "And I'm not in a position to make you leave. By now you have a scientific superiority that nothing we've got could match, not to mention your size. But you can't allow these fellow earthlings to take 23rd Century space craft technology back to 1980s earth. It would completely corrupt the timeline for a warp drive space ship to exist on earth hundreds of years before Star Fleet even formed."

"Captain Kirk, I'm Steve Burton the captain of our party," said Steve, "And I'm not unsympathetic to your plight. We've encountered time travellers before from the year 5477. Their own people stopped them from interfering with life on this planet. What would you suggest we do?"

"Captain Burton, pleased to meet you," said Kirk, "This is my first office Mr Spock, Chief Medical Officer Dr Leonard McCoy and Ensign Bailey. I would have no intention of confiscating your advanced technology, even if Barrows made it possible, if you could consider another option when returning your crew to earth. We came here through a space time warp. Follow us back. Return to earth in our time, where your improved ship would be technologically compatible. You could not only enjoy the wonders of earth's future, but be free to explore thousands of other worlds too."

The Spindrift team discussed it for a few minutes.

"We've already grown used to leaving behind the lives we had on earth," said Steve, "Our youngest member Barry is an orphan, and the rest of us are single adults. We've unanimously agreed the future would be a pleasant place and time to start again, to build lives and explore together."

"That's fine for all of you, Captains included," said Barrows, "But don't expect me to come back to the 23rd Century. I belong on this planet now, and I've kept my scientific knowledge a secret from the native giants for over fifty years."

"Fifty years?" said Bailey, "But you look as young as your predecessor did when I last saw her."

"I missed you too, Bailey," said Barrows, "But you're not talking to Barrows Two. She arrived here decades ago, married a giant, aged with him, watched him die of old age, and then performed another cloning operation. Although I have all of her memories, I am in fact Barrows Three."

Bailey was stunned. Not only had the great love of his life effectively become a giant. She had also lived much longer than him and gained a wealth of life's experiences he was yet to discover.

"Captain, we have no way to force her to leave, and I can't see any harm in her staying on the terms she's outlined anyway," said Bailey.

"I suppose we have no choice," said Kirk, "Although I'm not sure I like the forthright nature of the way you stated the facts."

"You might like this even less, Captain," said Bailey, "Tonia, you must know how I felt about Barrows One. If I hadn't gone to the exchange program, I'd never have missed my chance with her. If you hadn't come here, I'd never have missed my chance with Barrows Two. Is there room for a much smaller young man in the heart of Barrows Three?"

"Are you out of your mind, Bailey?" asked McCoy, "You're not thinking of staying here with her? The timeline's been contaminated enough already?"

"Not really," said Mark Wilson, "Our present day adventures here have already created an awareness among the giants of us 'little people' and vice versa. If your Bailey were to stay here, well hidden by Barrows Three, nothing much would change."

"Besides Captain, you don't have any choice," said Barrows.

Ensign Bailey realised the implications of that statement. The giant 2nd clone of the woman he loved had just announced that she would use all of the scientific and size advantages she had at her disposal to force the Enterprise crew to allow him to stay in the Land of the Giants in the 20th Century … with HER.

Kirk and Spock One could see no alternative but to lead Captain Burton's team into the 23rd Century and trust Barrows Three and Bailey at the words not to interfere with either the timeline or the scientific knowledge of the native citizens of the Land of the Giants. Barrows Three had spent weeks training Steve and Mark and Dan in the use of the Spindrift's improvements, and had been just about to farewell them, when the Enterprise away team had turned up.

"Alright then, Captain Burton," said Kirk, "We'll beam up to the Enterprise and send a shuttlecraft down to this location. You can follow it back to the Enterprise in the Spindrift, and then follow us through the space time warp to the 23rd Century. We'll work out your citizenship when we get there."

"I wish I could remember what happened on the Shore Leave planet, Barrows," said Dr McCoy, "Bailey's a lucky man."

"Thank you, Doctor," said Barrows Three, and gave him a giant parting kiss on the forehead.

Barrows Three and Bailey soon watched as the Spindrift took off on the tail of the Enterprise Shuttlecraft Galileo 7.

"Well they're gone," said Bailey.

"I could make you my size now, if you want the cloning operation," said Barrows Three, "In fact, I can keep cloning us indefinitely, each time we age."

"Could you do it one lifetime later for me?" asked Bailey, "I'd like to live out my lifespan with you in this body, my one chance to be with a giant Tonia Barrows on a world of people who would be giants to me, although I'd never get to meet any of them if we're to keep me safe and honour Kirk's wishes. Then Bailey Two could marry Barrows Four and take it from there as a giant couple."

"I think I'd like that," said Barrows Three, "If the process keeps working, there'll eventually be a Bailey and a Barrows in the 23rd Century again too. Maybe Leonard McCoy will find this planet in his own time, without the aid of a timewarp, and come and see us."

"You do like me more though, don't you?" asked Bailey.

"Just teasing," she giggled.

How he loved her.

_23__rd__ Century…_

The Enterprise was nearing the end of their five year mission at the time that they had travelled through the Beta Niobe Supernova and visited the planet Arret. Since then they had gone back in time, to retrieve the Spindrift crew as it had turned out, and their mission was now over. They returned to earth and introduced the Spindrift crew and passengers to the officials at Starfleet, where the seven humans and one dog were given Federation citizenship and the freedom to make benign explorations in their new improved Spindrift.

James Kirk took a new posting and a promotion to Admiral. Christine Chapel became a fully qualified Doctor. Spock finally acquired the Captain's rank, but went on extended leave to Vulcan, to address the conflicting human and Vulcan sides of his heritage. In the meantime, Commander Dekker was promoted to Captain and assumed command of the Enterprise.

Steve Burton and Betty Hamilton attended the wedding of Mark Wilson and Valerie Scott, and were soon so inspired to become engaged themselves. The extended family from the 20th Century remained together for some time, and explored space in the Spindrift, until they visited the home of the Elysian women (who had once used the Lorelei signal to lure the men of the Enterprise in an attempt to sap their youth). There Dan, Fitzhugh and Barry fell in love with three of the tall beautiful Elysian women and made some serious life decisions. Fitzhugh and Dan chose to stay on the planet and marry their girlfriends. Barry invited his girlfriend to come with him on the Spindrift and continue to explore space, and she accepted.

Elsewhere in space and time, there were two people of significance who knew nothing of the existence of Bailey and Barrows Three, but continued to wonder about the whereabouts of Steve Burton's team: Inspector Kobick of the S.I.D. and Los Angeles Airport Flight Manager Miss Collier.


End file.
